Ripari
by YaoiFanBunny
Summary: [[SEQUAL TO INFINE]]Duo is attempting to recover. But there is only ONE boy who can help. Who is he?[OOC][MAJOR Angst][AU] [[24]]


**Ripari**

_sequal to **Infine**_

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Warnings: Angst, I guess. Lots of it. I want to say Shounen-ai, but it's not really. More hinted, and not till the end.

Pairings: 2+4 VERY VERY VAGUE

_**Author Notes:** BEFORE YOU READ THIS, READ INFINE, ETC ETC. I'm pretty happy with this one. Except near the end. I wanted to make more of an impact about Duo and Quatre's relationship, but somehow it didn't work the same as it did in my head ;; Once again this is on the short side. I just don't know how to litter this with so much foofaraw that it lasts longer. GRR._

_Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue. I just screw with the characters and make them emo._

**Enjoy**

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The spare key was under the welcome mat, as usual, damp from the soggy fabric. He hesitated a moment outside the door, putting his ear to it, attempting to detect any sound coming from the inside. Sighing, he pushed the small key through the lock, turning. With the small click of approval, he twisted the door knob and pushed the door open with his hip. Routine actions, routine reactions.

The entrance hallway was dark. But it had been for a while. He slipped off his muddy boots in the doorway, walking in tentatively with padded footsteps and muffled creaks of the floorboards. He always checked the upstairs first.

The stairs moaned as they typically did, regardless of how young the house may have been. He stepped around the worst of it, memorizing where to step and not cause a ruckus. The upstairs was dim, dust gathering on the surfaces in the hall. Upon peeking in the rooms, he found the same thing. But no sign of whom he wanted to see.

The living room was also empty. No one had sat on those couches for days. The television hadn't been turned on, the fireplace hadn't been lit. The house had a vacancy to it. A cold, inhabitable air loomed about, stricken with an undetectable devastation.

However, it's always the last place you look that you find what you're looking for. And it wasn't until he had reached the kitchen did he locate it.

Upon first glance, the boy wasn't noticeable, hidden in the shadows of the dull room, curled up in the far corner. His head rested on the knees pulled up to his chest, his long hair unravelling from it's braid and falling in cascades over his face, shoulders and back.

The pitiful being looked up when footsteps approached. He had no doubt been listening the entire time, waiting in silence to be discovered. His face was a pale white, looking thin and hollow. Sucked of life. But he smiled, weak as it may have been, to see him.

"Quatre!" he croaked, voice hoarse as the blonde boy approached.

Quatre had received a call on his cell phone from a familiar number. Duo had needed him a lot recently, what with the whole thing with Heero and all. And he wasn't the kind of guy to ditch his best friend. So he'd given the attention willingly. The boy was usually sobbing his eyes out over the phone, so much so that it was too hard to comprehend what he was saying. But today it had been different.

The blonde boy had been working around the house, casually straightening things and organizing files, when his phone vibrated on the desk. This time, after the mandatory 'hello' there was silence. Just breathing coming from the other end.

"Duo?" He had said. More silence emerged thickly from the longhaired boy's end of the line. "Are you okay?"

"He came here." Was the soft reply.

"Who did? Heero?"

"No."

"Then who?"

"Wufei."  
"Who's Wufe- oh!" Quatre knew what he had to do. Duo knew it too. They had simultaneously hung up on each other and Quatre was already in his car.

The blonde boy didn't touch the other, didn't hold him, didn't pet his head the way he had done before. He merely took a seat next to him, leaning against the wall and looking down at the broken boy who looked back with glassy eyes.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked softly. His question was met with a shrug and a pair of averting eyes.

"You won't be able to get over it if you don't tell me. If not me, who else do you have to tell?"

"He just came in here and was apologizing for Heero and to admit to being his 'mistress' of sorts." Fresh tears welled in his eyes, looking to the floor for recovery.

Quatre didn't know what to say. He hated stating things that other people already knew. And Duo already knew what a coward Heero was, and how pathetic Wufei was for attempting to resolve the matter so simply. No, it wouldn't do any good to say it.

"Sorry for calling you," Duo sniffled, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand, "I've done it so often the past little while. I just don't know who else to call." His voice sounded like it had been scratched with sandpaper as he forced his words out meekly, attempting to prevent more blubbering.

"Oh," Quatre wanted to reach out and pat his best friend on the back. "It's no trouble. I'm glad to help you."

Duo's eyes finally connected with the blonde's. His violet, cloudy orbs puffy, red and swollen. "Thank you." He said. Quatre nodded.

The boy looked so feeble. He'd been secluded ever since the incident, save for the occasional company of his blonde friend.

Duo honestly wanted to talk to no one else. Quatre had this air to him that made you comfortable in any situation. He listened and he tried his best to understand. In this case, he was probably the only one who could understand.

This thought blew up in the braided boy's mind like a bomb. He started to laugh, a bitter, dry, ashamed laugh.

"I feel…so pitiful," He said, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye, "Compared to you. You've been through so much worse, and you're fine. And here I am, for I don't even know how long, like this."

"Duo, you can't compare us. Our situations were...ARE different."  
"Either way," Duo interrupted, "we both lost someone we loved. But you dealt with it so much better."

"Because I knew he still loved me when he died."

Silence reigned over the moment. Duo felt like he had just been punched in the stomach, unable to speak, unable to retort. It wasn't that his friend meant to hurt him, and that's not what broke Duo down again.

Maybe it was realization that finally, he knew everything was over. That this was the end of his relationship with Heero.

He knew it was time to get it over it now. He'd had his cry, many times. He wanted to be like Quatre. Strong Quatre. Loyal, caring, loving Quatre.

"Mmm, Q?"

"Huh?" The blonde boy had his head resting against the wall now, eyes closed. He was tired.

"How have YOU been this past little while?"

Curious, one aqua eye opened to take the other boy in. Still scraggly, still hollow, still pale. Dried tear trails marked his cheeks. But he was looking at the blonde boy somewhat confidently again.

"I've been…okay."

"The dark lines under your eyes say differently."  
"Look who's talking."

The corner's of Duo's lips curled upwards slightly, and it was like a sigh of relief. It wasn't a bitter smile. But one of recovery. It was going to be a slow process, but Quatre didn't mind.

He never minded. Not with Duo.

"I've been worried sick about you." He supplied for his answer. "You were really starting to scare me. You're still scaring me."

Duo bit his bottom lip, guiltily. The state of the house, the state of himself. It was characteristic of Quatre to become worried. But then, he had his reasons. He'd already lost someone, and it seemed he was close to losing another.

"I'm sorry." He said again, "Really. I was just feeling so…out of it."

"Don't anymore." Quatre said, standing. "It's over. Now you know who your real friends are. You know who really cares." His long arm stretched down, perfect pale hand waiting enticingly in front of Duo's face. The braided boy took it without second thought and was pulled to his feet.

"You're coming to stay with me. You need to get out of this wretched hellhole. It's time to move on. We'll grab some clothes, but other than that, leave everything here. At least until you're ready to come back."

Duo was grateful. Thankful in so many ways, at that one moment it overwhelmed him. What he had done to deserve this boy was unfathomable. It was easily admitted that no one treated him the way Quatre did. He was close to tears again, but held them in as best he could, vying for the option instead, of pulling him into a hug.

The embrace took the blonde by surprise, sending him stumbling and bringing them both to the floor. But Duo didn't let go. The hold he had was so much warmer than any he'd felt before, and he knew it now. He was done taking Quatre for granted.

Small arms encircled Duo's tiny waist in return, pulling him closer. It was a moment they both needed. Quatre had been worried for so long.

They sat on the floor for what seemed like hours, holding each other tightly , tenderly, sympathetically to one another. When Quatre finally had the heart to release him, he looked at his long-time best friend, directly in the eyes and smiled. It was perfect.

"Let's go." He took him by the hand, fingers entwined.

They both knew everything was going to be all right.

tbc?

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_AN: Okay, short again._

_If you want to see more on this pairing tell me so._

_If there are ANY pairings you want to see with this series, tell me so. I LOVE suggestions._


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